Rotary engine



A. P. SMITH ROTARY ENGINE May 3, 1955 2'. Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. B,1950 A TTORA/FY May 3, 1955 A. P. sMn'H 2,707,461

ROTARY ENGINE Filed Feb. 8, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR. VY/'f j?5717/577 BY ATTORNEY United States Patent() ROTARY ENGINE Albert P.Smith, Ava, M0. Application February 8, 1950, Serial No. 143,038 3Claims. (Cl. 123-44) This invention relates to a rotary engine of aninternal combustion type and it is primarily an object of the inventionto provide an engine which is light in weight in accordance with thehorse power.

lt is also an object of the invention to provide a rotary engine whichis in complete balance when in operation.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to provide a motor of thiskind wherein the parts are so assembled to eliminate the necessity ofusing a fly wheel and wherein the assembly is such to assure effectivecooling of the engine.

The invention consists in the details of construction and in thecombination and arrangement of the several parts of my improved rotaryengine, whereby certain advantages are attained, as will be hereinaftermore fully set forth.

l'n order that my invention may be better understood, l will now proceedto describe the same with reference to the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure l is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section of anengine constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;and

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 2 2 ofFigure 1.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings, H denotes a housing ofdesired dimensions and which includes a cylindrical peripheral wall 1held between the side plates 2 by the tie members 3 arranged outwardlyof the wall 1. The housing H may be rigidly supported in any desiredmanner but as herein embodied the lower portions of the plates 2 aresecured by certain of the tie members 3 to the supporting columns 4.

The side plates 2 at the axial center thereof are provided with theinwardly disposed bearings 5 for the shaft 6, of a length to extendoutwardly beyond the side plates 2. Snugly tting in each of the bearings5 and coacting with the shaft 6 is an anti-friction assembly 7 hereindisclosed as a ball type.

The shaft 6 s provided with a bore 8 open at one end of the shaft andextending inwardly of the shaft substantially to a point midway of theside plates 2. The outer end of the bore 8 is closed by a removable plug9 or otherwise as may be preferred.

The portion of the bore 8 exteriorly of the housing H has incommunication therewith a port a disposed through the wall of the shaft6 and which port is also in communication with a fuel box or carburetor10. This box or carburetor 10 is herein disclosed as integral with aplate 11 bolted, as at 12, to a side plate 2 and through which the shaft6 snugly passes.

The outer portion of the box or carburetor l0 constitutes an outboardbearing for the shaft 6.

Fixed to the shaft 6 for rotation thereof is a triangular block B, saidblock being substantially midway of the side plates 2 of the housing H.The three peripheral facets 14 of the block B have bolted or otherwiserigidly secured thereto, as at 15, the outwardly disposed Cit 2,707,461Patented May 3, 1955 cylinders C equi-distantly spaced around the shaft6 and radial with respect thereto.

Working in each of the cylinders C is a piston P provided at itsopposite end portions with the heads 15.

Disposed transversely and radially through each of the pistons P and atsubstantially the longitudinal center thereof is a pin 16 which extendsout beyond opposite sides of the associated cylinder C through thediametrically opposed slots 17, provided in the wall of the cylinder Cand disposed lengthwise thereof. The extended portions of the pin 16 arereceived in the annular grooves 18 provided in the opposed faces of therings 19 positioned at opposite sides of the block B. The extremities ofthe pin 16 within the grooves 18 have associated therewith theanti-friction bearing assemblies D.

The rings 19 are rotatably mounted on the annular hubs 20 concentric toa common axis and which extend inwardly from the side plates 2 inpredetermined offset or eccentric relation with respect to the shaft 6.Associated with each of the rings 19 and hubs 2t) is an antifrictionassembly 21.

The peripheral wall 1 at a desired location thereon and preferably inits lower portion, is provided with an opening 22 in which is threadedor otherwise rem'ovably held a cap plug 23Vhaving its open face inwardlydisposed when the plug 23 is applied. Snugly fitted with the plug'23 isa plate 24 of desired insulated material with its central portionprovided with an outstanding part 25 snugly fitting within a centralopening 26 in the cap plug 23.

Overlying the outer or exposed face of the plate 24 and in closeengagement therewith is an electrical contact member 27 of a thicknessto extend slightly beyond the inner face of the peripheral wall 1 of thehousing H. This member 27 is integral with a conductor shank or post 23which extends outwardly through the plate 24 and part 25 thereof forelectrical connection, as at 29 with a desired source of electricalenergy.

The contact member 27 is engaged by the outwardly and laterally disposedcontact member 30, when the motor is in operation, carried by the outerextended end portion of the central electrode 31 of a spark plug Soperatively engaged with the outer end portion of each of the cylindersC, as is clearly shown in Figure l of the drawings.

The side wall of each of the cylinders C has a portion 32 outwardlythickened from substantially one end to the other, with the inner endprovided with a shoulder 33 having close contact with a facet 14 of theblock B. Disposed through this portion 32 is a fuel feed port 34 incommunication at its inner end with the outer portion of the cylinder C.The opposite or outer end of the port 34 registers with a port 35extending into the block B and registering with the port 36 of anadjacent cylinder C.

The receiving end portion of the port 34 is enlarged, as at 37, and saidenlarged portion 37 snugly receives a sleeve 3S the inner or insertedend 39 of which constituting a seat for the inwardly opening valve plate41 to prevent retrograde flow through the port 34. The valve plate 41,as herein embodied is normally maintained in closed position by aretractile member 42, herein disclosed as a coil spring of requiredtension, extending through the sleeve 38 with one extremity secured, asat 43, to the central portion of the valve plate 41 and its oppositeextremity secured to a pin 44 carried by the sleeve 38 and intersectingthe outer portion of the bore thereof.

Each of the cylinders C has its inner or applied end open and incommunication with each of said cylinders C through its inner or appliedopen end is a port 45 in register with a port 46 of the shaft 6communicating with the inner portion of the bore 8 of said shaft 6.

The port 45 is provided with an outwardly facing internal valve seal 47with which coacts a flat non-rcturn valve 48 constantly urged toward itsseat 47' by an ex pansible member 49, herein disclosed as a coil spring,interposed between the valve 48 and a washer S0 held within the outerportion of the port 45.

The side wall of each of the cylinders C outwardly of the piston 1S whenat the limit of its inward movement is provided with the exhaustopenings 51 disposed circumferentially therearound and the upperportions of a side plate 2 is provided with the large openings 52 whichallow for exhaust.

The opposite side plate 2 at its inner portion is provided with a seriesof circumferentially arranged spaced openings 53 to permit the entry ofair to cool. the motor. When the motor is in operation, the cylinders Cserve as fans to draw the air for cooling and also serve as a fly wheel.

In the operation of the motor, the explosion successively occurs in thecylinders C and it is to be particularly noted that the piston i5 ot"each cylinder operates to deliver under compression the charge intocylinder C in advance thereof.

1t is also to be noted that the motor res at every one third revolutionthus assuring eifective rotation.

When the motor is in operation, the rings 19 rotate around hubs 20 andthe end portion of the pins travel in the grooves or tracks 18. Therings 19 maintain at all times a fixed relation one with respect to theother.

From the foregoing description it is thought to be obvious that a rotaryengine constructed in accordance with my invention is particularly welladapted for use by reason ofthe convenience and facility with which itmay be assembled and operated.

l claim:

1. An internal combustion rotary engine comprising a rotatably supportedshaft, a block fixed to the shaft for rotation therewith, cylindersradiating from and carried by the block, the shaft having a boredisposed lengthwise thereof and in communication at its outer end with asource of fuel supply, the blocks having ports in communication with theinner portions of the cylinders, rings supported'at opposite sides ofthe block and cylinder and rotating about a common axis eccentric to theaxis of the shaft, the opposed faces of the rings having annular groovesof the same radius and concentric to the axes of lil the rings, theblock and walls of the pistons having ports each leading from the innerend portion of one cylinder to the outer end portion of the adjacentcylinder in ad vance thereof, non-return valves in said last namedports, pistons within the cylinders for reciprocation therein, partscarried by each of the pistons and extended outwardly and laterally fromthe piston to engage for travel within the annular grooves of the rings,the walls of the cylinders having slots disposed lengthwise of thecylinder and being of a length to allow unobstructed reciprocation ofthe pistons, said block and the shaft having aligned ports opening intoeach of said cylinders, outwardly opening valves normally closing saidports, and means for successively exploding the charges in the cylindersas each cylinder completes a revolution with the shaft, the side wallsof the cylinders having exhaust openings.

2. An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim l, wherein theblock and cylinders carried thereby operate within a closed housinghaving end walls, said end walls providing supports for the shaft andfor the rings.

3. An internal combustion engine as set forth in claim l, wherein theblock and cylinders carried thereby operate within a cylindrical housinghaving end walls, said end walls providing supports for the shaft andfor the rings, the said walls having inwardly disposed hubs on the innersides of the same upon which the rings are rotatably mounted.

References Cited in the file 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS915,828 Cameron Mar. 23, 1909 1,154,366 Blume Sept. 21, 1915 1,170,059Fredlund Feb. 1, 1916 1,223,668 Chamberlin Apr. 24, 1917V 1,443,282Scott Jan. 23, 1.923 1,526,610 Sellberg Feb. 17, 1925 1,625,790 BrockwayApr. 26, 1927 1,627,403 Outcelt May 3, 1927 1,681,454 Aber Aug. 21, 19281,696,054 Palmer Dec. 18, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS 489,605 Germany Ian. 22,1930

